Southwest Truths (Semiautomatic Sorceress Book 3)

Sorcerer would die from being shot in the head just like a Shadow.
“Hurry up and sit down,” snapped Samuel as Lyssa settled into the seat.
“What’s this—” Lyssa replied.
“We can’t talk here,” Samuel said. “We’ll talk when we’re at a safe location.”
“Is my house about to blow up?” Lyssa looked at the cute little home. She wasn’t sure her insurance would cover an explosion with an indeterminate cause. There were no Act of Sorcery provisions in homeowners’ policies yet.
“I don’t know,” Samuel replied, starting the car. He pulled into the street. “It’s not impossible, but no more talking. Ten minutes, then we’ll talk.”
Lyssa folded her arms, keeping her hand tucked into her jacket. She suspected she wouldn’t be able to go out with Bill again anytime soon.

Chapter Five
True to Samuel’s word, he pulled into a parking lot alongside an empty park ten minutes later. Lyssa didn’t sense anything from the location, so she doubted it was a hidden entrance to the Traveling Club, but she wouldn’t have been surprised.
Samuel kept his tracksuit disguise. He grimaced and took a deep breath before leaning back in his seat. “We can talk here. I didn’t want to risk the spirit overhearing the conversation. It involves him.”
“I figured.” Lyssa scoffed. “Thanks for that, by the way. Lee spends so much time telling me to be careful, then you come storming in and all but scream, ‘Leave the dangerous spirit behind!’ I’m going to have to explain this later. Do you know how hard it is to lie to someone who spends ninety percent of his time with you?”
“I understand the difficulties,” Samuel replied. “I wouldn’t have come so abruptly if I’d had another choice. Unfortunately, my primary means of contacting you was recently damaged. It’ll have to be replaced, although I anticipate that happening in a day or two.” He gritted his teeth, a pained grimace on his face. “This entire issue suggests a failure on my part. I should have had a backup for such an eventuality.”
“How about a call, then?” Lyssa rolled her eyes. “That can be your backup. Use code words or something like the EAA does if you’re worried. There are ways to make it safer.”
“A phone?” Samuel barked a laugh. “So I can announce to the Shadow spies where I am? You’re the one who claimed paranoia is your hobby. The Shadows can track phones everywhere with ease. Their intelligence agencies brag about it.”
“Can we get to the point of all this?” Lyssa glared at him. “I’m supposed to be going to Last Remnant soon, and you come barreling into my house and drag me out of it. Is there a high-priority assignment that’s come up? You honestly can’t get someone else to do it? Ryan? Anyone?”
“This isn’t a contract or a Society request,” Samuel said, his voice quiet. “This is an unusually sensitive situation that will need to be handled accordingly. It also may impact your ability to go to Last Remnant.”
“That’s crap.” Lyssa slapped the window. “After everything I’ve done, you’re going to screw me this close to leaving?”
“Lee is dead,” Samuel said. “He’s been assassinated.”
Lyssa stared at the Elder. She hoped he’d crack a smile, but she couldn’t remember the last time he’d told a joke. There was no change in his angry expression as he stared straight ahead, a pained look haunting his face.
“I want to be very clear on this.” Lyssa swallowed, her heart thundering. “You’re saying Lee, as in Imperial Sage Lee, the guy I least like to have meetings with, has been assassinated?”
“Obviously.” Samuel snorted. “You think I’d be here if it was some other Lee?” His mouth twisted into another grimace. “The death of any Sorcerer is a matter of concern, and those among non-Torches and Eclipses are even more worthy of attention. This confluence of circumstances is troublesome because his duty is monitoring Jofi.”
“You think someone killed him over Jofi?” Lyssa reflexively glanced down at her holsters, but they were back in the safe. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but are you sure you’re not being paranoid? I don’t know everything Lee was into. He could have pissed someone else off, and they took him out for completely unrelated reasons.”
Samuel turned toward her. “Sorcerers don’t die all that often. You’re a Torch, and you’ve only killed one in your entire career.”
“Eclipses kill more.” Lyssa shrugged.
“But even those deaths are rare,” Samuel said. “When many of our kind start dying, it becomes a matter of concern. An inflection point that risks destabilizing the entire Society.”
“We’re sure it was a Sorcerer who killed him?”
Samuel looked uncertain. “It was Shadows armed with shards, but the targeting and weapons suggest a rogue might be involved. For various reasons, I don’t believe this is related to Adrien Allard.” He winced and dropped his hand to his side.
Lyssa grimaced. “Are you all right?” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re keeping up an illusion so I can’t see that you’re hurt, aren’t you?”
Her gaze dipped to the seat. Blood drops stained it.
“What the hell, Samuel?” Lyssa reached into her pocket to pull out healing and pain herbs. “You could have told me you were hurt.” She offered him the herbs. “If you’re still bleeding, that’s a problem.”
“Thank you.” He chewed and swallowed the herbs before looking out the window. “But I’m in my regalia. I’m not dead or mortally wounded. My wounds will heal.”
“You could have told me you were hurt.” Lyssa sighed. “That explains why you’re so upset. What happened? Did someone jump you and Lee during a meeting?”
Samuel replied, “He was killed this morning. The details remain unclear. Shadows armed with shards attempted to kill me five hours ago. Unfortunately, I was overzealous in my defense, and there were no survivors left to question.”
Lyssa raised a brow. She didn’t always respect Samuel. She thought of him as the fossil who liked to harass her and forgot that his age meant greater mastery of his essence. There was no such thing as a defenseless Sorcerer.
“There was